Significance of the study

The effects of online campaigning on the preferred election candidates of young

voters

Topical
As the Internet plays a larger role in governance, campaigns and activism, the
debate continues about how social and digital media are changing politics.
Ongoing research is addressing topics such as whether or not the Internet is leading
to increased political polarization because of their immense reach and potential to
reach a broad range of young people. (Wihbey, 2013).
Comelec data shows that there are 61,843,750 registered voters in the Philippines
alone, 1,822,173 more are registered to vote from overseas for the 2019 midterm
elections. Millennials and Generation Z or those born in the mid-90s and early
2000s, comprise around 31% of the total vote, or 18,847,230 voters (Paris, 2019).
Candidates make use of online campaign to generate positive feelings among
the electorate about their own qualities or to denigrate their opponents. Advertising
exposure can influence a voter’s evaluations of the candidates, either in a positive
or negative direction (Tufts University, 2018).
The study of the effects of online campaigning on the preferred election candidates
of young voters has the strong potential to serve as a valid source of information
for candidates to improve political campaign and increase the chances of winning
the election. Real potential to shift the strategic landscape of campaign
communication, and thereby alter the content of campaign messaging that voters
receive. Can help to determine the impact on voter evaluations of the political
candidates featured in the online campaign.
Social media platforms substantially lower the cost of advertising and offers vastly
more precise targeting capabilities than legacy broadcast media. Social media
platforms are reaching youth not engaged by the candidates. Youth that heard or
read about the election on social media platforms but were not reached by
traditional outreach groups such as political parties and campaigns. Voters exposed
to political ads on television and other social media platforms retain knowledge
and information about the candidates, such as their name, stance on issues, or
image attributes and these influences their votes (Kaid, 2017).
Enumerational Format
Internet plays a larger role in governance, campaigns and activism (Wihbey, 2013).
Internet has the immense reach and potential to reach a broad range of young
people, social media plays a crucial role in elections (Wihbey, 2013).
Comelec data shows that there are 61,843,750 registered voters in the Philippines
alone, 1,822,173 more are registered to vote from overseas for the 2019 midterm
elections (Paris, 2019).
Millennials and Generation Z or those born in the mid-90s and early 2000s,
comprise around 31% of the total vote, or 18,847,230 voters (Paris, 2019).
Candidates make use of online campaign to generate positive feelings among
the electorate about their own qualities or to denigrate their opponents (Tufts
University, 2018).
Advertising exposure can influence a voter’s evaluations of the candidates, either
in a positive or negative direction (Tufts University, 2018).
The study of the effects of online campaigning on the preferred election candidates
of young voters has the strong potential to serve as a valid source of information
for candidates to improve political campaign and increase the chances of winning
the election.
Real potential to shift the strategic landscape of campaign communication, and
thereby alter the content of campaign messaging that voters receive.
Social media platforms substantially lower the cost of advertising and offers vastly
more precise targeting capabilities than legacy broadcast media.
Can help to determine the impact on voter evaluations of the political candidates
featured in the online campaign.
Voters exposed to political ads on television and other social media platforms
retain knowledge and information about the candidates, such as their name, stance
on issues, or image attributes and these influences their votes (Kaid, 2017).
Beneficiaries
Advocacy groups or lobbyists
Citizens
Political campaign staff
Election Candidates

References:

Kaid, L. (2007). The Effects of Political Advertising on Young Voters. Retrieved

fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/240282513_The_Effects_of_
Political_Advertising_on_Young_Voters
Paris, J. (2019). Political campaign staff. Retrieved from
https://rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/number-registered-voters-elections-2019.
Tufts University. (2018). Retrieved from https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-
research/five-takeaways-social-media-and-youth-vote-2018
Wihbey, J. (2013). Effects of the Internet on politics: Research roundup. Retrieved
from https://journalistsresource.org/studies/politics/citizen-action/research-
internet-effects-politics-key-studies/.